Issue - meetings

Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Transformation

Meeting: 30/01/2020 - Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Item 42)

42 Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 pdf icon PDF 132 KB

Decision:

(a)       That the report be noted;

 

(b)       That a letter requesting clarification on how the Act would be cost neutral and the term ‘universal provision’ be sent to the Cabinet Secretary for Education at Welsh Government; and

 

(c)        That a further report be provided to the committee following implementation.

Minutes:

            The Senior Manager introduced an update on the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018.  The new statutory framework for supporting children and young people with additional learning needs would replace the current legislation covering Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Young People with Learning Difficulties or Disabilities (LDD) in Post 16 education and training.  The timescale for implementation had now been moved to September 2021 to enable Welsh Government (WG) to work through all the comments received during the consultation process.

 

            The Senior Manager reported on a meeting of the ALN Forum held the previous day which discussed the draft Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCo) job description for schools.  She confirmed that Jan Williams had been temporarily appointed as the Early Years Additional Learning Needs Lead Officer (ALNLo) and that the Health Board were looking at funding and recruitment for the Designated Clinical Lead Officer (DECLo) role.   She referred to the Flintshire ALN Transformation Plan and the work being carried out to understand ‘what universal provision was’. Schools were working in clusters within Flintshire and regionally with Further Education and Health Board colleagues included in these discussions.  She also referred to the WG timescale, the cost implications for the Council and the need for clear legal advice to understand how to interpret the Act to ensure that the pupils who needed this most would benefit.  As regards Post 16 she said the situation was unclear at present with the need for clarity on the universal provision and the mechanism for devolving the money for Post 16 specialist provision.       

 

            The Chair was pleased that WG had listened to the concerns raised by local authorities.

 

             Councillor Mackie raised concern that WG were not introducing the IT support required immediately and raised concern regarding the potential 2 to 3 year timescale for this to be sourced and implemented.  In response the Senior Manager clarified that no formal decision had been made by WG yet.    The feasibility study completed by the North Wales region had been considered by WG and a paper was being written to be presented to the Cabinet Secretary for Education for consideration; the complexity of the required system would cause the potential delay. 

 

            Mrs Rebecca Stark asked questions on the job description, raising concerns on the workload, the delay in provision of IT support, the definition of universal provision and asked if this would remain regional or become national. She also asked if the staff training programme was sufficiently robust to ensure it addressed the needs of pupils.  The Senior Manager responded that WG saw this as a cost neutral act and there had been no indication of whether additional funding to cover the additional responsibilities brought about by the Act would be provided.  There was funding available through the ALN Transformation Grant to support preparation for implementation in September 2021 and this was being used to support cluster working and in-house training; the potential cost pressure on schools around implementation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42